Ahead of December 17th, marking three years since the death of North Korea’s
former leader, Kim Jong Il, Pyongyang has been upping teachings on “loyalty” toward the Kim family, while
beefing up surveillance on residents, the Daily NK has learned.
“A special order from the Party’s Central Committee has been handed down to ‘enhance teachings on Kim Jong Il’ for all
Party members and workers, ahead of the third anniversary,” a source based in North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on
Monday. “Not only workers at state companies, but
students and homemakers have also been receiving daily teachings on ‘the legacy of Kim Jong Il’s leadership.’”
“Unlike regular study sessions conducted
once a week, this time they’re alternating between intensive studies, film and
book-based studies, and recorded lectures every day,”
he explained. “In the afternoon, they conduct
quiz-based lectures among different groups [Party members, Kim Il Sung
Socialist Youth League, General Federation of Korean Trade Unions , and Chosun
Democratic Women’s Union] and you can only go home if
you pass.”
The teachings are mostly on “learning from Kim Jong Il’s adolescence,” and his “Songun [military-first politics] revolution,” based on books and related works. When these studies are carried out, all residents, without exception, must
gather at the local center on revolutionary history.
If individuals fail to attend the mandated quiz-based study
sessions, they must participate in private studies at their relevant group, and after
work hours are over, study and summarize parts from Kim
Jong Il’s plethora of works. According to the source,
many of them pull “all-nighters” to stay up and prepare.
“In terms of the period of mourning for Kim
Jong Il, all workers must 100 percent guarantee perfect work attendance,” he said, adding that in anticipation of the increased restriction of movement during the event, no travel documents are currently being issued to residents.
Each year, North Korea has organized
various studies and lectures to instill loyalty in time for commemorations of the birth and death of both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. However, the source pointed out that it is highly unusual for the country to conduct intensive classes and place a limit on travel papers as far as a month in advance–especially with no announcement of an official mourning period.
“Even during the 10th anniversary of Kim Il
Sung’s passing, there weren’t
lectures and studies this early,” the source
said. “It seems like Kim Jong Eun, lacking the
political leadership he needs, is trying to highlight Kim Jong Il’s legacy during the third anniversary and secure legitimacy of the ‘Baekdu bloodline’ in order to solidify his
power.”
In reaction to the recent move, some
residents have said, “All we need to do is commemorate
the third anniversary properly. I don’t understand why
they have these lectures one month prior.” Others, “Since this is the third year of mourning
[in traditional Korean culture, children mourn the death of their parents for
three years], we need to take extra precautions to ensure we don’t get caught for anything,” according
to the source.
A different source in Yangkang Province
confirmed similar activities in the region. “Internal
measures to carry out the third anniversary on a huge scale are already
underway,” she said. “Lectures
have already started, and we’ve also received orders to
secure the movement of people to make sure not a single group member is missing
on the day of the event.”
The North’s
Party-run Rodong Sinmun has also been underscoring Kim Jong Il’s legacy in its commentaries to set the mood for the upcoming anniversary.
On Friday’s front
page, the paper published an article, headlined “Kim
Jong Il’s Songun Revolutionary Feats Will Be Glorified
for All Ages,” promoting his legacy and touting his achievements across a number of the daily’s pages.
